What are the doo-dads on a rebuilt MBTA F40PH-3C loco

[peteski]

Friend of mine is in Idaho and he spotted 3 freshly rebuilt locos.  He is wondering what are the devices circles in the photos.

[CNR5529]

The top doo-dad is an electronic bell, and the bottom whatsit looks like a beacon/receiver for cab signaling.

[Point353]

Friend of mine is in Idaho and he spotted 3 freshly rebuilt locos.  He is wondering what are the devices circles in the photos.

E-BELL: http://www.grahamwhite.com/products/e-bell-whistles/373-series-e-bell

[peteski]

LOL, I suspected that it would be some sort of bell, since  it is  mounted on a bell bracket and it sort of looks like a bell.  I guess the shape also makes retrofitting a real bell much easier.

So they likely use a recording of a real bell played through a horn-type speaker?  So here, life imitates models (since  we use recorded sound of a bell in our sound decoders).  I have also noticed some real church bells have been replaced with electronic bells (with various degrees of sound fidelity).

[Missaberoad]

LOL, I suspected that it would be some sort of bell, since  it is  mounted on a bell bracket and it sort of looks like a bell.  I guess the shape also makes retrofitting a real bell much easier.

So they likely use a recording of a real bell played through a horn-type speaker?  So here, life imitates models (since  we use recorded sound of a bell in our sound decoders).  I have also noticed some real church bells have been replaced with electronic bells (with various degrees of sound fidelity).

I don't think it's a recording... More like an electronically generated sound. I stand to be corrected on that tho...
They've been in use in one form or another since the 1970s on some Railways, all of our GP20ecos have them.

[sd45elect2000]

Electronic bell is a generated sound.


Under the locomotive is the ACSES ( Amtrak civil speed enforcement) PTC system It's an overlay o top of the existing cab signal system.

[peteski]

Thanks guys!  How close to a real bell does the electronic version sound? 

http://www.grahamwhite.com/products/e-bell-whistles/373-series-e-bell  states: solid-state electronic bell with a sound that is just like a pneumatic bell.

[Point353]

Thanks guys!  How close to a real bell does the electronic version sound? 

http://www.grahamwhite.com/products/e-bell-whistles/373-series-e-bell  states: solid-state electronic bell with a sound that is just like a pneumatic bell.

Following video has the sound of an e-bell replacement for the "real" bell at a grade crossing:

[wazzou]

I think the item located beneath the frame is a George Foreman Grille.   

[peteski]

Following video has the sound of an e-bell replacement for the "real" bell at a grade crossing:

It sounds synthesized. Doesn't have the "soul" of a real mechanical bell.   
But then again, who cares. It is a grade crossing signalling device.  Maintenence free - no clapper to lube. One less job to do, one maintenance guy probably got laid off. 

[DKS]

Maintenance free - no clapper to lube. One less job to do, one maintenance guy probably got laid off...

Oh, like you've never had an electronic device go south? Just replacing one job with another...

Like all those so-called maintenance-free LED lights. Yes, they burn out less frequently, but I still see plenty of them fail...

I have also noticed some real church bells have been replaced with electronic bells (with various degrees of sound fidelity).

Church bells, fire/police/ambulance sirens, firehouse alarms, heck, even house doorbells--just about everything that was once mechanical is now electronic. (Makes me wistful for the relatively recent past when such things were "real"...)

 

[Missaberoad]

My ears appreciate the electronic ones, the pneumatic bells are alot harder on the ears (especially on the GP38s where they are right in front of the cab).

And fwiw personally I have seen way more failures of the old pneumatic bells then the new electronic ones. However the fix is typically WD40 where the new bells require replacement 😊

[wazzou]

I remember having a doorbell, where the bell was actually two long chimes that hung side by side on the wall.
There was a small discrete shield at the top that concealed an electronic clapper that was triggered by a solenoid of some type, activated by the doorbell button.
It reminded me of the early Atlas switch machine action.
This is much the same action as a pre-electronic locomotive bell.

[peteski]

I remember having a doorbell, where the bell was actually two long chimes that hung side by side on the wall.
There was a small discrete shield at the top that concealed an electronic clapper that was triggered by a solenoid of some type, activated by the doorbell button.
It reminded me of the early Atlas switch machine action.
This is much the same action as a pre-electronic locomotive bell.

Yeah, the ding-dong doorbell.  Most of those had a front and a back button terminals.  The front door button would activate "ding-dong", while the back door button would only go "ding".  There were no electronics in those - just a solenoid and the doorbell transformer (mounted elsewhere) would supply the power.

[wazzou]

Exactly as I recall the experience.  You could differentiate where the bell was wrung from.
Great memories.
A solenoid connection from button to bell is still electronic, no?  Or is it just electric?